Many industries such as the sports and entertainment industry require the ability to search through their archive of audio, video and/or multimedia assets and find particular prerecorded information. In the sports industry, this search and retrieval ability is needed for many purposes. For example, when scouting for new players it can be very useful to have the ability to search through an archive of recorded games to find particular events that occurred during the games. For instance, a coach may desire to review every three-point shot that a basketball player has attempted in a game or throughout multiple games. Also, a sports league may desire to collect and review many different types of events that have occurred during the course of game play. In the entertainment industry, producers need access to archival footage for highlights and many other reasons. For example, a sports television show may desire to find and retrieve particular video segments from a particular prerecorded event to show to the public during a news broadcast. For example, when broadcasting sports news, the network may desire to show every video segment from a prerecorded football game that shows a turnover of the ball from one team to another. In fact, in sports, whether from the team, league, entertainment or other related perspective, there are numerous reasons why it is important to have the ability to find and retrieve video and/or audio segments from an archive of prerecorded information (e.g., video, audio and/or multimedia assets). While the ability to manage an archive of recorded assets is particularly useful in connection with sports, such management systems are needed for many other applications as well. In fact, the need extends to practically any situation where significant amounts of audio and/or video is recorded, such as in the movie production business, where one might desire to find and retrieve a particular segment of information (audio, video or multimedia segment).
One technique that has been widely used in the past, particularly in connection with sporting events, is to use manual loggers to log information about an event that is being recorded or has been previously recorded. This technique involves using people, known as “loggers”, to view the entire event as it is being recorded (or after it has been recorded) and to index certain pre-defined events that occur during the event that may be of interest to the person or organization for which the logger is working. For example, a logger working in connection with a basketball game may have the job of logging information, such as time of occurrence during the game, that particular events occur, such as fouls, three-point shots, defensive plays, or any other event that may be of interest in connection with the basketball game. The logger typically uses a log sheet on which he manually enters the event and the time of occurrence of the event for later reference. Numerous loggers may be used for any one sporting event. When the loggers are finished logging the event, the log sheets are collected and stored with the recording of the event, so that they can be used as a reference to later find particular segments of interest from the overall recorded event. For example, the log sheet may indicate that a particular basketball player made a three-point shot at a particular point in time during the game. Thus, if a person wanted to see the video segment or clip of this particular three-point shot, the log time indicated on the log sheet can be used to find the point in the recorded game where the shot occurs. Thus, the log sheets act as an index to particular segments within the overall recorded event that may be of interest at a later time. One problem, however, with this manual logging process is that it is time consuming and inefficient, in that the physical log sheets must be reviewed manually in order to find the information or event of interest. Moreover, once the index is found on the log sheet, the tape or other medium on which the event has been recorded must by obtained so that the particular video and/or audio segment can be clipped therefrom. Thus, a more efficient system is needed in connection with the logging of time based media, such as sporting, entertainment or other events.
Video editing software exists for enabling editing of recorded video or multimedia assets. However, such video editing software is very sophisticated and generally requires a knowledgeable and experienced video engineer to properly edit or obtain video clips from a video. In addition, such video editing software is expensive to purchase and operate. Thus, a less expensive and more user friendly video segment indexing and capturing system that can be used in connection with logging and retrieval of time-based media is needed.
The instant invention addresses the above-described needs by providing a computer-based indexing and capturing system for use in connection with logging of audio, video and/or multimedia events. The invention provides a user friendly tool for use by loggers or the like working in connection with a time-based media event, such as but not limited to a sporting event. Specifically, the instant invention enables loggers to easily and efficiently view a live or prerecorded event and document a time-based stamp for predefined events that may occur during the overall event. In accordance with the invention, a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that is customized to the particular application (and optionally for each particular logger using the system) in which the system is being used. The GUI includes user interface objects, such as check boxes, radio buttons, push buttons and text boxes, that are used by the logger to record events. The interface objects are predefined and customized for the particular asset being logged. In other words, the GUI objects are defined so as to correspond with the typical types of events that are generally of interest for the particular overall event that is being logged. In addition, the GUI objects are labeled in a manner that corresponds to the typical nomenclature of these events, thereby facilitating easy event logging by a logger through the GUI. The logged events are then stored in a database for later search and retrieval as desired. Thus, the invention enables parsing, cataloging, storing and retrieval of time based media.
In one embodiment of the invention, the system provides a linear video cataloging system designed to enable easy and efficient logging or indexing of linear (analog) video content. In accordance with this embodiment, the system enables a digital directory of linear video content to be created which facilitates precision retrieval of highlights and clips from recorded videos.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a media management system is provided that accepts analog or digital video content, indexes the video content, indexes each video frame and provides for advanced retrieval of video segments of interest. Thus, in accordance with this embodiment, when a logger logs an event the logging information (index) and the actual video segment are captured by the system, thereby enabling the system to be used to search for, retrieve and actually view a logged video segment. As a result, this embodiment provides a complete video asset management system that can be used to log events and search for and retrieve the actual video segments that have been logged using a dedicated search engine.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the system is provided with an automatic logging capability, wherein audio/video analysis technology is employed for speech, sound, object, and text recognition to automatically index video content and create an electronic directory of same. In other words, in this embodiment, manual loggers are not required because the system is programmed to automatically log certain predefined events using audio/video analysis technology.
The invention may be implemented in a stand-alone fashion, or it may be deployed as a client-server application for a LAN or web-based environment. The system is designed to enable multiple loggers to be operating on the same overall event at any one time. Facilities are provided for enabling all of the logged events from all of the loggers to be loaded into a common database for later search and retrieval.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the system is easily customizable for any event that needs logging. Specifically, the GUI can easily be customized to fit any particular application. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a user interface generator is provided to facilitate the creation of customized, HTML- or XML-based user interfaces for the collection of standardized information.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a video content management system is provided wherein the end-user can perform complex search functions, such as search by film name, topic, bookmarks (using keywords), user groups, film groups, etc., and in response receive the exact desired content (film, scene or frame). This feature is designed to transform viewing habits and the manner in which people apply the use of video for work, study and entertainment. A video server is at the heart of the video content management system. The video server stores, manages and provides access to data in the form of large and complex video content files.
As will be apparent from the description below, one primary object of the instant invention is to simplify and speed up the process of manually logging audio and/or video or other time based media from a live event or a previously recorded event. The speed at which a person (the logger) can do the logging is especially critical when logging a live event, where there is limited time to perform logging functions. Another primary object of the invention is to provide a complete video content management system that not only enables efficient logging, but also provides a sophisticated search and retrieval function. It is noted that audio, video and other time-based media may simply be referred to as media in the description below, and that the invention is not limited to any particular media type.